1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fishing poles or rods. More particularly, the invention relates to a fishing pole holder configured for a removable engagement with a belt of a user and adapted for operative engagement with the handle of a fishing pole or fishing rod.
2. Prior Art
As is well known, the sport of fishing employs a pole having a reel and fishing line operatively engaged. Conventionally, the reel is engaged at the butt end or handle end of the rod and is configured to both dispense and wind fishing line which extends from the distal end of the rod.
While an enjoyable sport, fishing can in many cases involve many hours of holding the fishing rod in the hands of the user, while waiting for, or in many cases hoping for, a fish to become hooked upon the dispensed line. Holding a rod in the hands for long periods of time, can put a strain on the hand of any angler, simply from the duration of time gripping the handle. In some cases, holding the rod for such long periods can turn an enjoyable afternoon of angling into a stressful exercise on the hand and grip of the user.
A number of pole or rod holder devices have been developed over the years to aid anglers in holding their pole during their pursuit of the sport of fishing. One popular version of such rod holding devices positions a rod holder on the person of the angler which is configured to be removably engageable with the handle end of the rod. Since fishing generally requires the rod to be located in front of the angler, such rod holders have been configured with belts or mounts to hold them on the front of the user or to engage the clothing of the user and provide a removable engagement to support the handle end of the rod while fishing.
A number of belt and waist-engaged fishing rod holders have been developed over the years. However, such rod mounts, while configured to slidably engage over the handle end of the rod easily, are not configured for the comfort of the user over long periods of time, and especially when sitting while fishing with the pole.
A primary cause of such discomfort is the force exerted by the torque of the elongated rod when engaged with the rod mount on the handle end. The weight of the rod and reel over time, and more significantly, the force of a fish pulling on the line which is slidably engaged at the distal end of the rod, can impart a significant rotating or turning of the rod mount which is engaged with the user's clothing, such as the belt.
The force of a fish, and just the force of the rod and reel over time, causes the rod mount to twist or rotate in its engagement to the clothing or belt of the user. Such rotation can occur in all three axis and tends to cause side edges and corners of the rod mount, to dig into and poke the skin of the user adjacent to the position of the rod mount. This can cause significant discomfort over time, and turn a peaceful day fishing into a painful exercise.
Additional issues are also known with belt-engaged rod mounts, where the belt of the user operatively connects with the rod mount. Such belt engaged mounts conventionally provide a pathway through the body of the mount through which the belt of the user is passed prior to engaging the distal end of the belt to a buckle or the like. Such belt engaged rod mounts are prone to sliding upon the belt to which they engage, especially when the user changes position or force from a fish or the rod and reel are communicated to the engaged rod mount. This can place the rod mount out of position and cause wear to the clothing in contact with the rod mount from translation on the belt.
As such, there exists an unmet need for a fishing rod mount that is engageable with the belt of an angler which has an exterior surface and overall configuration which is ergonomically shaped, not to pinch or poke or otherwise cause the user pain or irritation during use. Further, a need exists for such a belt engaged rod holder, which is configured to provide an easy to engage, yet secure positioning, on the belt during use which resists sliding.
It should be noted, the foregoing examples of related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the device and system described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art in rod mounts are already known or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a fishing rod mount which is removably engageable to the handle end of a fishing rod and adapted for engagement with the belt of the clothing of a user.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a rod mount, which has an exterior surface shaped to move while in communication with the body of the user, and eliminate pinching and poking to the body of the user.
It is yet another object of this invention, to provide such a belt engaged fishing rod mount, which includes a pathway for the belt through the body of the mount, which automatically anchors the rod mount in position on the belt and thereby resists sliding.
Yet a further object of this invention is the provision of such a fishing rod mount which is configured or configurable to provide a sliding or gimbaled engagement to the fishing rod.
Further objectives of the disclosed invention herein will be brought out in the following parts of the specification wherein the summary and detailed description of the invention are for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.